CBD: What is it and how is it being used in the UK?

Used in everything from snacks to moisturisers, products containing CBD (including oils, extracts, etc) seem to be everywhere.

The number of CBD consumers doubled in the last year and with Canada becoming the latest country to legalise marijuana for recreational use, cannabis-derived products are now in the news more than ever before.

But what exactly is CBD, and how is it making waves in medical fields and beyond?

Read on for everything you need to know about the herbal flavour-of-the-month.

What is it?

CBD is a non-psychoactive chemical compound found in the marijuana plant.

It doesn’t disrupt the central nervous system because it doesn’t contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the other key compound in cannabis which causes users to get high.

This means that products containing CBD, such as oils and extracts (which contain concentrated amounts of the compound), won’t lead to changes in mood and perception like recreational use of marijuana in its complete form is known to do.

Is it legal?

Products containing CBD are not currently illegal as long as they contain only trace amounts of THC.

While cannabis is classified as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, CBD is itself a legal cannabinoid that has been sold in the UK for years.

However, products containing CBD which tout medicinal benefits need to be licensed under the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

Legalities surrounding medicinal products containing CBD are more complex, given that these also contain THC, the compound that has psychoactive effects.

However, in July, home secretary Sajid Javid announced that doctors in England, Wales and Scotland will be able to prescribe medicinal cannabis oil as of 1 November after it was found to relieve symptoms of childhood epilepsy.

How is it used in medicine?

There are two cannabis-based medicines in the UK, which contain both CBD and THC.

Sativex has been licensed for a decade and is approved to treat shakes and spasms associated with multiple sclerosis.

However, NHS spending watchdogs in England and Scotland have said it is not cost-effective, however it is recommended in limited cases in Wales.

Epidiolex ia a medication used to treat two rare forms of epilepsy and is made by the same UK company that makes Sativex, GW Pharmaceuticals. A European license is currently pending.

How is it used elsewhere?

CBD oils are sold in mainstream health shops, primarily as food supplements, and advertise benefits such as relieving inflammation, pain relief and reducing anxiety, but there is a paucity of studies to scientifically prove such effects.